Try Counting Sheep
by LePipi
Summary: Dean is starting the third grade and he doesn't feel too happy about it. But the arrival of the new, strange little boy might make him change his mind.  Lots of fluff and kids being kids.


Try counting sheep

It was a sunny day in Lawrence, Kansas, though to Dean it seemed to be burning hot. It might have been the weather, or it might have been the fact that it was the first day of the new school year. He was going to start the third grade at nine years old. He was getting pretty sick of school. Sure it might have been the first two years, but it was just plain boring now. The teachers were getting louder, the assignments were getting harder, and the fun was almost nowhere to be seen. He often compared it to a prison, if those shows Daddy watched were anything to go by.

-"Come on, Dean, don't be a brat."- John said looking over his son in the backseat, who sat with his arms crossed, looking away from his father in a tense manner.

-"'M not goin'."- Dean said stubbornly.

-"Aw, come on, you're a big boy now. And big boys have responsibilities."-

-"Ah don' wanna have reponsbilies."- Dean spouted, mingling his words, as his vocabulary was not that rich yet.

-"Tough luck. Now get out before I drag you out."- John's temper was finally gone, given he had to endure the complaining ever since he woke up Dean that morning. But it worked, since Dean was unstrapping his seat belt.

-"And have fun!"- His father called at him right before he shut the car door closed.

-/-

Dean was feeling pretty rattled by the whole day. Change was never good for him. And every new school year meant another change. It meant new teachers, new subjects, new classrooms, new books, new clothes... It was like, as you were just getting used to it all, you have to change everything again.

It was confusing and stupid. And he didn't like it.

-"Fudgin' school, with fudgin' kids, and the fudgin' teachers..."- He mumbled quietly to himself as he trudged down the hallways, trying to find where his new classroom was.

When somebody bumped into him, making him sway from his balance.

-"Excuse m-"-

-"Don't fudgin' touch me!"- Dean shouted angrily at the person that bumped into him. But when he turned he saw something that made his heart stutter for the first time.

A boy, with very wild, tousled black hair, blanketed in a big tan trench coat, that swept the floor looked back at him with a very hurt expression. Those eyes, those blue, blue eyes looked so pained, Dean felt his knees give out on him. He wanted to do something, anything to brush that look out of his face. The other boy's breath hitched and suddenly tears were rolling down his cheeks. Dean all but crumbled to the floor.

He tried reaching out a hand towards him, but the other boy went running into the opposite direction he was headed in, all the while sobbing loudly.

Dean felt like what he thought grown up's would call 'an ass'.

He quickly fled the scene, as he caught everyone's eyes on him, and trailed back to his classroom which he finally found.

-/-

"Alright class, now if everyone could grab themselves a copy of the Math's book from the bags over there, it would be much obliged."- Victor Henricksen, their current teacher for this year ordered them.

He was going to do most of the teachings, probably all of them. Dean sort of resented that fact. Mister Henricksen was nice enough, but he was very strict.

-"I want that one."- Uriel demanded, pointing at the math's book Dean picked out for himself.

-"I already have it."- Dean retorted, trying to walk off when Uriel's slightly chubby form stopped in front of him.

-"I want it."- Uriel said grabbing the book with both hands, trying to pull it away from him, but Dean kept a firm grip on it.

-"Go get your own. They're all the same."- Dean raised his voice, to state that this was over, but Uriel's persistent hands were still pulling the book from him.

-"What is going on here?"- Henricksen's deep voice, demanded answers.

-"He won't give me my book."- Uriel moaned, stomping his little feet on the ground, making a crying face.

It was so fake, Dean couldn't believe himself.

-"It's my book, I picked it out myself!"- Dean shouted, desperate to defend himself. Mister Henricksen did not look amused.

-"Give the book back, Dean."- He said slowly.

-"He's a liar! He lied! He lied! He lied!"- Now Dean was the one stomping his feet on the ground, though Uriel was beating him with his thunderous stomp of a heavy boy.

-"No, you're a liar!"-

-"Boys calm down..."-

-"No, you are!"-

-"I know you are, but what am I?"-

-"Fat!"-

-"STOP IT!"- A very unrelated voice echoed through the room.

Everyone turned their attention towards the door, where the very same peculiar boy from before stood, though this time with the addition of a very big fluffy lion. Whose ear was stuffed in the boy's mouth.

The atmosphere in the room changed. The tenseness was gone. Uriel slid his hands away from Dean's book. Everything felt suddenly light and bright.

-"Ah, everyone, please welcome our new student, Castiel Novak. Castiel, can you say hi?"- Mister Henricksen said tenderly with a hand around the boy's shoulders. He could be very nice when he wanted to.

-"Hello."- Was the boys shy reply, before he turned back to chewing on the lion's ear.

-"That's great. Can you take a seat, right over there by Dean?"- Henricksen pointed to where Dean was finally retreating back to his seat, with his book clutched in his arms. Dean felt his heart stutter again. It was quite annoying, really.

He turned back slowly, catching how Castiel's curious eyes were searching the room finally landing on him. They widened significantly upon spotting him. Dean hung his head lowly in embarrassment. He made the boy cry on his first day of his new school and now that boy had to sit next to him. Dean wasn't actually resenting the fact that the boy would sit next to him. He actually thought he was interesting, but he didn't want the boy to feel uncomfortable. No matter, he was gonna make things right with him!

As the boy slowly pulled a seat next to him, Dean turned to him scanning him quickly.

The boy looked like he was drowning in that coat, huddling the plush lion like a life saver.

-"I'm sorry about earlier."-

-"Excuse me?"- The boy finally looked at him, his blue eyes shining with unadulterated innocence. Dean thought they looked very pretty.

-"My daddy told me that, a real man admits when he's made a mistake, 'n apologizes. I'm sorry."- Dean trailed off embarrassed, choosing to look at his feet rather than the boy's bright eyes.

-"My father gave me this lion so it will give me courage."- Castiel said looking down at his lion, giving the ear another small bite.

-"Does it work?"- Dean asked, somewhat surprised at Castiel's abrupt change of topic.

-"Yes."- Was the short response he got.

-"I'm Dean."- Dean said stretching out his hand for Castiel to grab.

-"I know that."- Castiel said somewhat confused, choosing to nimble on the other ear of the lion.

-"Dude, you're supposed to shake my hand."- Dean spoke as if it was something Castiel should have already known.

-"Why would I do that?"- Castiel asked genuinely confused, tilting his head down. Again, a slight stutter in his heartbeat.

-"You do that to make friends."- Or that was at least the knowledge he had at that time.

-"You want to be friends? With me?"- Castiel asked looking disbelieving, his eyes comically widened.

-"Yeah, sure."- Dean approved of that sentiment.

Castiel then cautiously took Dean's hand into his own and shook it gingerly.

-/-

-"You have a funny name, Cas."- The nickname just started slipping off and Castiel didn't seem to mind, so he kept it. They were sitting next to each other in the school yard. While all the other kids were playing on the swings or the slides, they sat under a tree, away from the clatter and noise.

-"I was named after an angel."- Castiel replied solemnly.

-"My mom used to tell me that angels were watching over me. But angels aren't real."- Dean said wearily. It was a long time since his mother died, but it still hurt.

-"They are too! They're just shy!"- Castiel replied heatedly.

Dean sat dumbfounded.

-/-

-" Ya, know, Cas, I think I know what you remind me of."-

-"What is it?"- Castiel asked, working on his drawing made of sparkles and crayons. They were sitting in arts class together too.

-"A bush baby!"- Dean exclaimed with great pride. Like he had accomplished something great.

Castiel stopped sprinkling the glitter over his drawing and looked back at Dean with shimmering eyes. His eyes were welling up with tears, and Dean found himself in yet another predicament. What did he do wrong now.

-"Wait, Cas..."- But he was too late because Castiel was already storming out of the classroom. Dean was quick to follow him though. He ran after Castiel through the hallways of the school watching as his long, long, trench coat float in the air like a cape.

Finally, Castiel stopped outside on the parking lot of the school, which was still empty, since school wasn't over yet, not after two more classes.

They both just breathed heavily for a while until Dean decided to speak.

-"I'm sorry (gasp), for being an ass."- Dean spoke through deep breaths.

-"An assbutt."-

-"What?"- Dean finally composed himself, straightening up, to catch Castiel's gaze.

-" An assbutt. You were being an assbutt."- Castiel explained decisively.

-"Oh. Oh, yeah, whatever you say, Cas. I was."- Dean decided not to try his luck and just went with it.

They decided to set on the asphalt, just gazing in front of them.

-"I like bush babies..."- Dean said almost to himself.

-"You do?"- Castiel probed.

-"Yeah."-

-"So you didn't mean to offend me?"-

-"No! Ofcourse not. You're awesome."- Dean caught himself babbling and slapped a hand over his mouth, turning red like a lobster.

Castiel though giggled. Which was the first time in the whole day Dean heard him laugh. He couldn't help but smile widely at the sight before him

-"You have a pretty smile."- Dean told him, this time without feeling embarrassed.

-"Thank you..."- Castiel blushed wildly before turning his head away from Dean.

-"You have pretty eyes..."- Castiel said in a mousy tone, making Dean almost miss it.

-"Thanks."- Dean replied grinning like a mad man.

-"Hey, Cas?"-

-"Yes, Dean?"-

-"Would you like to come tonight and watch Jeopardy at my house?"-

-"I would."-

And Dean smiled from ear to ear, which in return made Castiel smile shyly. He took his hand in his own and together they made their way to art's class to finish their glittery drawings.

**This is just something I cooked up real quick for you guys. It just popped into my head and I just had to write it down. I hope you enjoyed reading this. I just wanted some portray some cuteness, that is all. Let me know what you think. Reviews are appreciated as always. **


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